Marijuana – Yes or No

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Today I am writing about marijuana and the ongoing debate in our country about its use for medical purposes or personal enjoyment. I would imagine that some of my readers would assume that because I study natural medicine and use many herbs and aromatherapy to keep myself and family healthy that I would be a supporter of legalizing marijuana. This question is one that plagues me on a daily basis though. I am definitely in support of using a plant for the positive medicinal qualities that it may have, but when it comes to using it for recreation I do not see the need, but how do you separate the two.

Over the last several years there have been many reports about marijuana being addictive or a gateway drug. Having never tried marijuana or tobacco for that matter I can’t speak to the addictiveness of either of these substances. I recently read that marijuana use leads to dependence about 9-10% of the time, while tobacco is the highest at 30%. The child of two lifelong tobacco smokers I have witnessed firsthand the challenge of trying to stop and unfortunately neither of my parents have succeeded yet. When it comes to marijuana use I become very confused about the true affects it has on the body and why with all the legal ramifications would someone continue to use it if they aren’t addicted. Unfortunately I have seen people that continue to get arrested for possession of marijuana or paraphernalia and face fines yet they still use. If this drug is not addictive then what affect does it have that becomes more appealing then freedom? Why do people risk both personal and financial freedom to keep using marijuana?

I have tended to stay on the right side of the law in the choices I make. I will admit that I drank while underage once and the experience was so unpleasant that I didn’t drink again until I was 25. Now I drink the occasional beer or glass of wine, but I did experience a short period in my life where I started to binge drink to avoid things that were upsetting me. For me this became a turning point, I could either keep drinking and getting hangovers and generally feeling like crap or I could face what was going on in my life and make changes. This is how I feel about recreational marijuana use. If we legalize it are we giving people another substance to use to hide from problems?

In our current society we have so many prescription drugs that are being used to treat countless numbers of physical and psychological problems do we really need one more or maybe marijuana would help us to get rid of some of the synthetic drugs. In conclusion I will say that for medicinal purposes I would support the use of marijuana, but for states like Colorado and Washington that are allowing it for recreational use I am scared. I think that people really need to just slow down, enjoy nature and each other and they may find that they don’t need drugs, alcohol or nicotine to enjoy themselves. The debate is definitely complex and one that I believe will continue on for years. What are your thoughts?

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Please note that I am not a medical practitioner. The content of this website is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice. Do not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. By using this website, you assume full responsibility and liability for your own actions.